SPORTS DIGEST: EQUESTRIAN:Cian O'Connor was quickly into winning form at the five-star show in Lyon yesterday, writes Margie McLoone. Riding Stephen O'Connor and Castlemartin Stud's Dutch Warmblood gelding Complete in the early afternoon's 1.50m two-phase class, O'Connor had almost two seconds to spare over the host nation's Patrice Delaveau (Jaguar Mail). Jessica Kurten was sixth in the speed class with Castle Forbes Vivaldo.
Jankovic beats Wozniacki to reach semi-finals
TENNIS:Serbia's Jelena Jankovic crushed a leg-weary Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the WTA Championships in Doha yesterday.
The former world number one had spent just 95 minutes on court here in her first two matches compared to the nearly six hours of sweat and toil put in by 19-year-old Wozniacki, and it showed in a one-sided contest.
From 2-2 in the first set Wozniacki, who collapsed in agony with cramp near the end of her brutal victory against Vera Zvonareva 24 hours earlier, simply ran out of gas. She managed to stop the rot when she broke back once late in the second set but there was no way back for the US Open finalist who must now wait for the result of the final White Group match between Victoria Azarenka and second alternate Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland. Jankovic seemed ready to pack her bags after losing to Azarenka in the opening match on Tuesday, so disheartened she was with her form.
Injured Lee out of Delhi match
CRICKET:Paceman Brett Lee is to return home from Australia's tour of India because of injury. The 32-year-old missed the second one-day international with the same elbow problem which prevented him from completing the first match at Vadodara.
Cricket Australia physiotherapist Kevin Sims said: “Brett’s elbow injury has not responded as well to treatment as we would have liked and therefore a decision has been made to send him home to consult with an elbow specialist.”
After the fast bowler trained yesterday morning, captain Ricky Ponting described him as “85 per cent fit” and expressed hope he could still play some part in the series, but that has been ruled out.
“With an accurate diagnosis we can determine how best to manage the injury and give Brett the best chance of being available for selection at the beginning of the Australian summer,” Sims added.
Australia will also be without the injured James Hopes for today’s third ODI in Delhi.
Yankees battle back to level series
BASEBALL:The New York Yankees levelled the World Series at 1-1 after they secured a come-from-behind win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night.
Yankees right-hander AJ Burnett pitched his first ever post-season victory as he gave up just one run, following some sloppy work from Alex Rodriquez in the second innings, before Mariano Rivera got the save after coming out of the bullpen at the start of the eight innings.
By that time the Yankees were ahead thanks to a pair of solo homers from Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui off Pedro Martinez – enough to delight the home fans given the veteran’s previous Boston Red Sox connections.
The scoring was completed in the seventh innings when Jorge Posada’s line drive off reliever Chan Ho Park sent Brett Gardner home. The Phillies took the opening game of the series on Wednesday night and game three is in Philadelphia tonight.
TG4 schedule GAA day to coincide with celebrations
GAELIC GAMES:To coincide with the official closing of the GAA's 125 celebrations, TG4 have scheduled what amounts to the GAA couch potato's dream, with a special edition of GAA Beo today and non-stop matches and documentaries from noon until midnight tomorrow, writes Keith Duggan.
In keeping with the fine tradition of documentaries that the Irish language station has developed over the years, there are several fine programmes on the schedule, beginning with a timely showing of a film on Sam Maguire at 12.15pm and concluding with an absorbing portrayal of Cork hurling legend Christy Ring at 11.30pm.
The main live action comes from Thurles, where local club Sarsfields meet Cork champions Newtownshandrum in the Munster club quarter final. The competition to name the best footballer and hurler of the past 25 years – as chosen by the public – will also be announced during the afternoon, with the winners paraded during the interval of the match at Semple Stadium. The public and viewers who selected the players will have the opportunity to win two Premium Tickets for three years. Later in the evening, TG4 will highlight the best three sportsmen in both hurling and football in a special programme, a feature which is bound to open debate.
There is also live sport today at 5pm, with coverage of today’s Senior Shinty/Hurling International between Ireland and Scotland from Bught Park, Inverness. The Shinty-Hurling International is a hybrid game which was developed to facilitate international representative matches between shinty players from Scotland and hurlers from Ireland. Ireland will be hoping to avenge last year’s defeat in Nowlan Park, Kilkenny, when they lost narrowly on a scoreline of 1-10 to 1-09. Gearáid Mac Donncha will provide the commentary of this match.
